The Smiles Foundation
News - September 2011
Dear Friends
The summer is over, holidays finished and everyone is heading back to school and work. Summertime is no holiday for Smiles. We’ve had continuous Mission Trips since June 4th which followed the Educational Challenge, so over 200 people visiting Smiles in these past 3 months. Last week, many of our team in Romania got a well earned break. Not all, as certain jobs still had a lot to deal with at this time. But now, all are getting back to prepare for another season of serving those in need within Romania.
Church Challenge & Mission Trips..
We are off to busy start with a Church Challenge Mission Trip starting September 3rd.
14 people from South-West Wales and only two have been before. We’re looking forward to another group of people exploring the ‘Power of Serving’ in Romania. So many people have their stories from this past summer, but we selected Anna Clarke to give us her thoughts from a Smiles Mission Trip. Enjoy the Read.
New Ventures..
September also kicks-off some exciting new ventures for Smiles.
September 1st has our newest member of staff begin a full-time position. Simona Duciuc, known to her friends as Ritza, graduated in June with a degree in Social Work from Emanuel University in Oradea. Keen to work, Ritza came to us to assist with Mission Trips through-out the busy summer. She was due to leave August 21st, but we had become so impressed with Ritza, we didn’t want to lose her. After some hard thinking and discussion, Ritza accepted an offer of a full-time position with a share of time between Mission Trips and Social Work for Salard Project with
Adi and Homeless Project with Raul. So, we welcome Ritza and look forward to all she will contribute to Smiles in the months ahead.
Also on September 1st, Smiles Romania welcomes Vio Musca to start a new opportunity within Smiles on a 2 Year Apprenticeship. Vio will be working at Cihei in Kitchen, Housekeeping and Care within the Family Centre and Mission Centre. Vio is moving from Targu Mures where she has been raised and supported by Global Care Charity since being abandoned by her family. Vio will be our first ‘Post-Institutionalised’ Apprentice, sponsored for 2 years, during which time we trust she will learn the skills of working in the Mission Centre and at our Family Centre in Cihei. Please pray for Vio as she adjusts to this major change in her life and that joining Smiles will be a great success and wonderful opportunity for her.
Tileagd School Success...
Another exciting first this September is Cornel Rostas and Sebastian Rostas from our Tileagd Community – who commence High School in the city of Oradea on September 12th. Cornel and Sebi have both come through 8 years of Smiles support in education. Firstly, at our own Community School and then through 4 grades at the State School in Tileagd. They are pioneers, as Cornel and Sebi will be the first 2 from the Community to attempt High School.
This is a significant step, both for them and for Smiles. They will need to move from Tileagd and stay in Cihei so as to reach school each day. This will be another major challenge for the boys and their families. We plan for them to arrive in the city each Sunday evening, stay until after School on Friday, then go home for the week-end. We need to be able to finance the extra costs of accommodation, travel and school supplies. We anticipate a budget of £250/$400 per month when in School – approximately 8 months a year. Therefore, Annual sponsorship needed for Cornel and Sebi will be £2,000/$3,200 each - or £167/$267 per calendar month. We pray people will be willing to support this opportunity to allow our pioneers to help establish a path others can follow next year. This is in part what our Education Programme is all about. Please help us realise the dream of giving these youngsters the opportunity to ‘change the world’ – certainly in Tileagd!
Fundraising ...
As we think of fund-raising, let us also think of Chris & Pat Calow (Special Advisors to Eye Care) who are currently facing the Pembrokeshire Challenge – walking 186 miles (300km) over 12 days. It’s a fantastic effort to raise hopefully £1,000 for Smiles, and if you would like to help, go to their Just Giving page to sponsor. We are praying for you both and look forward to a full report and pictures next month!!
Everyone involved with Smiles does their share of fund-raising. Some seem to make it their life! Where would we be without such wonderful people?
Ann Cowan - our Development Associate for Scotland – is always thinking ‘Smiles Fund-Raising’. Be sure to read her Special Report on activities and progress this year.
Joint Facility of Love...
In the final stages of the summer Mission Trips, we started some
more major work at the Joint Facility of Love in Salonta. We
had teams demolishing part of the buildings not featured in the final plans for the Elderly Care Home and Centre for Children with Disabilities. The teams did great but as you can see, sometimes things get a lot worse before they can get a lot better!
On September 1st, advisors Dave Clark and Graham Wallace will
be back out in Romania planning the next step of Construction Development for which we urgently need teams of Builders, Plumbers, 
Electricians, Joiners, Plasterers and other Building skills to help us progress. Check out the Special Invitation and think who you could come with.
Don’t leave it too long, the old folk and the children are waiting!!!
While we are under Construction at JFL Salonta, we’ve decided to help our Elderly Care by transforming our Cihei Family Centre into Elderly Care for 8 people. We are starting this now with help from the Church Challenge group this month. By October mission trips, we hope to have folk for you to visit! This new adventure was featured in our 100 Love Club Newsletter last month. If you haven’t seen it, read the Update now.
This is a new venture and needs your help as we endeavour to raise the budget of £200/$300 per person, per month to provide 24/7 care along with all Meals, Heating and reasonable Medication. If you can help with a donation towards these costs, please do so now as we begin to plan and budget for this project.
Everyone works hard in Smiles, but some are ‘behind the scenes’ and don’t always get the recognition they deserve. During these past couple of years of financial hardships and cut-backs, the accountancy staff have had a particularly difficult job. It’s appropriate therefore that this month, our Staff Profile is
Nina Florea (nee Dandu) who deals with a significant amount of our accounting responsibilities.
As we start the new academic year following the long summer, various important meetings are being planned for which we would value your prayers.
Next month: October 7th will be a UK Trustees Board Meeting
October 8th will be the UK Development Associate Conference in Leeds.
And in November, 12th – 25th Kevin and Maria will be on another ‘Whistle Stop’ trip to America, visiting supporters in North Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana and Florida.
November 18th will be a US Trustees Board Meeting in Baton Rouge LA.
These will all be important meetings with significant agenda’s for the future developments of Smiles. Please pray for God’s Wisdom and Discernment to be with everyone involved. Any one in America who would like to meet Kevin & Maria during their visit, contact us to see if scheduling can be arranged.
Meanwhile, keep up with the events in Romania from
Maria’s World by checking the Report from the Director’s Desk.
So, there we have another synopsis of the month from me. Having been in Romania for 3 months this summer, it’s been nice to have 10 days back in the United Kingdom, but by the time you read this, I’ll be back in Romania!
Feel free to e-mail anytime on any subject. I’ll do my best to keep in touch as we continue to serve the Lord in this area of His Kingdom.
Thanks for your support and God Bless you all
Kevin Hoy
Chief Executive to
The Smiles Foundation
P O Box 35602, Phoenix AZ 85069 Tel: 423 239 9525
